A Feast for the Birds

On Thanksgiving Eve, we decided that it would not be fair to indulge in such a delicious dinner without giving a grand feast to the birds and squirrels as well!

The girls and I traveled over the hills and through the woods to Grandma and Grandpa's house where we mixed up a big batch of bird feeder mix!

Grandpa handmade a bird feeder by drilling 1 inch angled holes into a thick tree branch and attaching a strong eye bolt to the top. Little hands soon went to work stuffing the holes with our bird feeder mix!


After filling 2 bird feeder logs, we used some gathered pine cones and filled every nook and cranny with the mix. Tying twine to the tops of the pine cones made them easy to hang from the branches outside!

My mom kindly gave me the recipe for the Bird Feeder Mix that she has used for years. Unfortunately, she was not so willing to give me her secret Thanksgiving stuffing recipe.

I hope she will grace me with that addictive recipe one of these years. It is simply the best!

Bird Suet Food for Feeder Log

1 cup peanut butter, chunky is nice
1 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup birdseed

In a large bowl mix all ingredients with hands. If too sticky, add more cornmeal.
Keep any extra in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for refilling.

Feeder Log:

The log should be about 2 inches in diameter, and about 1 1/2 feet long.
Screw a hanging hook into the top.
Drill several 1 inch holes around the log, at a downward angle.
Press the bird food tightly into the holes.